This position is located in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General. This position serves as a Criminal Investigator (Special Agent) within the Office of Investigations, Southwest Region. This application will close upon receiving 50 applicants or on 25 September 2025, whichever occurs first.
This position is a primary law enforcement position under 5 U.S.C. 8336 (C) (CSRS and 5 U.S. C 8412 (d) (FERS). You must be no more than 37 years of age upon entry into the GS-1811 series, unless you have previous service creditable under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) or Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) law enforcement provisions sufficient to enable you to retire at age 57 with 20 years of creditable service. Persons already in covered secondary positions or persons with previous approved service who apply for a primary position cannot be considered if their age at reentry into the primary position exceeds 37 years after subtracting their years of service in covered positions. Applicants must provide evidence of current or previous coverage that would qualify. This age restriction does not apply to those entitled to Veteran's Preference. You will be required to qualify to carry and use firearms and other weapons as part of assigned duties and maintain such qualification. Applicants are ineligible for this position if, at any time, they have been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony crime of domestic violence, unless such conviction was expunged, set aside, or the applicant received a pardon. Refer to the Lautenberg Amendment, titled "Gun Ban for Individuals Convicted of a Misdemeanor Crime of Domestic Violence", Pub.L.104-208,[1] 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(9). Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including time-in-grade restrictions and specialized experience as defined below. THIS POSITION HAS A BASIC MEDICAL REQUIREMENT: The duties of positions in this series require moderate to arduous physical exertion involving walking and standing, use of firearms, and exposure to inclement weather. Manual dexterity with comparatively free motion of finger, wrist, elbow, shoulder, hip, and knee joints is required. Arms, hands, legs, and feet must be sufficiently intact and functioning in order that applicants may perform the duties satisfactorily. Sufficiently good vision in each eye, with or without correction, is required to perform the duties satisfactorily. Near vision, with or without correction, must be sufficient to read printed material the size of typewritten characters. Hearing loss, as measured by an audiometer, must not exceed 35 decibels at 1000, 2000, and 3000 Hz levels. Since the duties of these positions are exacting and responsible, and involve activities under trying conditions, applicants must possess emotional and mental stability. Any physical condition that would cause the applicant to be a hazard to himself/herself or others is disqualifying. IN ADDITION TO MEETING THE BASIC MEDICAL REQUIREMENT ABOVE, APPLICANTS MUST MEET THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS BELOW. Time in grade: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience at the next lower grade to be considered for the next higher grade (one year at the GS-12 level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-13 level). Under competitive merit promotion procedures, any individual who is currently holding, or who has held within the previous 52 weeks, a General Schedule position under non-temporary appointment in the competitive or excepted service, must meet "time-in-grade" requirements (have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade of the grade for which you are applying). Restrictions are contained in 5CFR 300, Subpart F. You must include an SF-50 (you may need to submit more than one) that supports meeting this requirement with your application package. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIREMENT FOR GS-13: Applicants must possess one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 in the federal service or the private sector that has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience is defined as: Criminal and administrative investigations, from planning and conducting fact-finding, to reporting the results of investigations; performing undercover and surveillance work; conducting investigative interviews; and analyzing investigative facts to arrive at sound conclusions. This experience includes the preparation of comprehensive administrative and technical reports in order to present findings in a clear, logical, impartial, comprehensive, and concise manner. In addition, I have experience conducting liaison activities with other investigative agencies on behalf of my agency, including federal, state, and local agencies, and developing new approaches to performing investigative functions, including responses to identified weaknesses and vulnerabilities in on-going operations. Evidence of one year or more of specialized experience must be clearly documented in your resume. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience, documented in your resume.
Investigate allegations of embezzlement and fraud involving USDA-funded programs.
Establish and maintaining liaison with USDA agency personnel.
Analyze allegations, complaints and investigations to identify issues involved and the types of evidence needed to properly address each matter.
Maintain liaison with other Federal (non-USDA agencies) and State and local government organizations.
Advise and/or assist U.S. Attorneys and/or State/local prosecutors and/or their staff members in the preparation of investigations for presentation to Federal and/or State/local Grand Juries.
Appear as a witness before grand juries and trial courts or participate and assist in other legal proceedings; lead and coordinate collateral administrative functions in a unit, such as custodial officer for all investigative equipment.
Personally handles exceptionally complex, technical investigative problems or controversial, novel, or exploratory questions and issues, and advises on potential investigations areas and new investigative approaches.
Report critical information to other concerned law enforcement jurisdictions. Collaborate with other INV team members as required in establishing objectives of the OIG investigative program.
Perform, or may lead and coordinate the conduct of, undercover and/or surveillance work; provide technical subject matter expertise support for training, internal inspection and/or quality control as required.
Serve, as required, as a Task Force member or outside agency liaison, working from an alternate duty location, relaying information and accessing outside agency resources to support OIG investigations.
Perform full criminal, civil or administrative investigations and conduct investigative interviews.
Develop new approaches to performing investigative functions, including responses to identified weaknesses and vulnerabilities in on-going operations. Analyze investigative facts to arrive at sound conclusions.
Plan and conduct fact-finding and prepare comprehensive administrative and technical reports in order to present complex and conflicting findings in a clear, logical, impartial, comprehensive, and concise manner.
Collaborate with other INV team members as required in establishing objectives of the OIG investigative program.